by Rae McKee, Public Relations Writer
According to a study from the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Center (APPIC), doctoral candidates in the field of psychology often have difficulty obtaining the necessary internship placement to complete their studies.
But two Cedarville University graduates have bucked that trend by obtaining prestigious internships at two of the top children’s hospitals in the nation.
Lauren Laake ’08 and Christine Keeports ’09 are both finishing their Ph.D. studies in clinical psychology at Northern Illinois University and have both been placed in yearlong internships. Their opportunities have come despite declining placement numbers in recent years.
The most recent study by the APPIC found that from 1999-2012, doctoral students who were unable to find an internship approved by the American Psychology Association rose by 79 percent. As a result, many students are forced to seek alternative employment, accept nonaccredited internships or even quit school altogether.
But Laake believes that Cedarville’s psychology program helped her obtain the necessary connections for her graduate school, which ultimately placed her at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH), ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the top children’s hospital in the United States.
“Cedarville’s psychology program really prepared me for the future phases of my studies,” said Laake. “I experienced so much diversity in the material that I studied and had fantastic one-on-one help from my professors, which was a big advantage for me.”
Laake, who begins her clinical internship at BCH in September, will provide a myriad of services such as inpatient and emergency room consultation, therapy intervention, and neuropsychological assessment.
Keeports has been placed at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) in Columbus, Ohio, and will focus on clinical child care during her internship starting August 29. She will help children and families with clinical diagnoses ranging from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to Pediatric Bipolar Disorder.
NCH is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top 10 children’s hospitals in the country and is considered one of the nation’s top teaching hospitals, which will provide Keeports with the necessary mentorship training to succeed.
“At Nationwide, I’ll get to work with great people and a great training program,” she said. “It was something that I had at Cedarville – professors who knew me well enough to help me achieve my goals and support me the entire way.”
Laake and Keeports will complete their dissertations and yearlong internship before they receive their Ph.D.’s in clinical psychology.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,711 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 100 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.
But two Cedarville University graduates have bucked that trend by obtaining prestigious internships at two of the top children’s hospitals in the nation.
Lauren Laake ’08 and Christine Keeports ’09 are both finishing their Ph.D. studies in clinical psychology at Northern Illinois University and have both been placed in yearlong internships. Their opportunities have come despite declining placement numbers in recent years.
The most recent study by the APPIC found that from 1999-2012, doctoral students who were unable to find an internship approved by the American Psychology Association rose by 79 percent. As a result, many students are forced to seek alternative employment, accept nonaccredited internships or even quit school altogether.
But Laake believes that Cedarville’s psychology program helped her obtain the necessary connections for her graduate school, which ultimately placed her at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH), ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the top children’s hospital in the United States.
“Cedarville’s psychology program really prepared me for the future phases of my studies,” said Laake. “I experienced so much diversity in the material that I studied and had fantastic one-on-one help from my professors, which was a big advantage for me.”
Laake, who begins her clinical internship at BCH in September, will provide a myriad of services such as inpatient and emergency room consultation, therapy intervention, and neuropsychological assessment.
Keeports has been placed at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) in Columbus, Ohio, and will focus on clinical child care during her internship starting August 29. She will help children and families with clinical diagnoses ranging from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to Pediatric Bipolar Disorder.
NCH is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top 10 children’s hospitals in the country and is considered one of the nation’s top teaching hospitals, which will provide Keeports with the necessary mentorship training to succeed.
“At Nationwide, I’ll get to work with great people and a great training program,” she said. “It was something that I had at Cedarville – professors who knew me well enough to help me achieve my goals and support me the entire way.”
Laake and Keeports will complete their dissertations and yearlong internship before they receive their Ph.D.’s in clinical psychology.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,711 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 100 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.